Santa Barbara Specialty

This famous (and Robert Parker approved) winery has a busy tasting room that’s open daily. Beyond their own wines, the owners have collected some of the best wines from California and all over the world for guests to try.

It may not seem like much from the outside, but there's a dizzying array of foreign and local wines and liquors inside. Don’t know your Malbec from your Merlot? The super helpful staff are all well-versed wine pros and will even restock your home cellar or bar if needed.

The name is actually kind of misleading, because The Funk Zone isn't all that funky—it's an area of Santa Barbara that plays host to tasting rooms for some of the the valley's best vineyards, galleries, plus a handful of the city's greatest restaurants.

Tucked away on an outcropping of limestone, this family-owned vineyard focuses on Syrah and Roussanne grapes, which they tend through sustainable and natural dry farming techniques. They take just as much care post harvest, using native fermentation techniques whenever possible. While they only offer private tours of the vineyard, they have a tasting room in Los Olivos.

Tucked away on an outcropping of limestone, this family-owned vineyard focuses on Syrah and Roussanne grapes, which they tend through sustainable and natural dry farming techniques. They take just as much care post harvest, using native fermentation techniques whenever possible. While they only offer private tours of the vineyard, they have tasting rooms in both Los Olivos and Lompoc.

No trip to the Santa Ynez/Santa Maria wine region is complete without a pit stop at Bell Street Farm, particularly if you have little ones in tow. Part market, part restaurant, they offer everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to rotisserie chicken. There's also a deli counter for to-go orders, plus plenty of sweets, including pretty epic mini-cobblers.

This popular wine and beer tasting room makes short work of tasting way too many varietals from the Santa Ynez valley—and the best part, is they only source from award-wining wineries, meaning there are no doozies in the flights. Located in The Funk Zone, it's a fun place to go before a dinner reservation—or for a longer, lazier Saturday (they open at 11). They offer beer flights, too.

Prepare for a little bit of a line at these popular Santa Barbara coffee spots (there are two very close to each other, to accommodate overflow): Besides great almond milk lattes and macchiatos, they serve some pretty mean almond croissants.

If Santa Barbara is Mecca for cycling enthusiasts, then Handlebar Coffee Roasters is their temple. The owners, ex-competitive cyclists Aaron Olson and Kim Andersen, took up coffee roasting (using a vintage Probat roaster, no less) after the recession put their cycling careers on hold. Fast forward a few years and their creamy capps, cold brews, and killer almond milk lattes have made their tiny coffee shop the go-to rest stop for riding groups (the wall outside is never without a stack of bikes) and pretty much anyone looking for a quality cup of a coffee and a low-key place to enjoy it.

This goldmine of a gourmet market, is comprised of individual artisanal vendors specializing in local and sustainably-sourced fare. This means that it's essentially set up like the perfect pantry. As far as prepared foods go, Wexler's Deli serves up lunchtime classics like bagels and sandwiches, while Empty Bowl is all about steamy noodle bowls and handmade dumplings.